Public Policy Network

Orange conAccording to AAA^®, more than 37 million people are expected to travel 50 miles or more this Memorial Day weekend. This is an increase of 60% from last year and 34 million of those planning to travel will drive. While many Americans will enjoy their much-needed vacation, few will be dwelling on the ongoing infrastructure spending debate in Washington. Congress too will be in recess but will continue negotiations in earnest.

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Orange cones are appearing across the country as spring ushers in highway construction season to upgrade the more than four million miles in the U.S. highway system. Road closures and traffic will cause driver frustration which serves as an appropriate backdrop for the debate in Washington over infrastructure spending that will likely be long and difficult.

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America's focus on the "first 100 days" of a new administration began when Franklin D. Roosevelt used the phrase in a fireside chat broadcasted in 1933. Taking office during the Great Depression, Roosevelt quickly pushed Congress to pass 15 bills, including the Emergency Banking Act and other New Deal programs. This became the standard for discussing the early effectiveness of new presidents.

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Shortly after President Biden took the oath of office, three new senators were sworn-in giving Democrats the majority. While controlling both the House and Senate will give Democrats many advantages, including the ability to set hearings schedules, the slim margins will enable moderates from both parties to have powerful input on legislative outcomes over the next two years.

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The origins of the annual New Year's Eve ball drop can be traced to Royal Navy Captain Robert Wauchope who invented the time ball in 1829. These devices dropped at the same hour each day to help ships keep accurate time, which was essential to determine longitude while at sea.

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The highly-anticipated November elections are finally over with Joe Biden becoming the president-elect. The House remains in Democratic control by a slim margin, while a few seats remain undetermined. In typical 2020 fashion, control of the Senate is still unknown and will be decided by two runoff elections in Georgia.

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